Damian Lillard

 

Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard Sr. (born July 15, 1990), nicknamed “Dame Time” and “Logo Lillard,” is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also serves as the general manager of the Weber State Wildcats men’s basketball program. Standing 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) and weighing 200 pounds (91 kg), Lillard plays as a point guard. 

 

He played college basketball for the Weber State Wildcats. Lillard was selected sixth overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2012 NBA Draft and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2012-13 season. He is a nine-time NBA All-Star, a seven-time All-NBA Team selection, and the Trail Blazers’ all-time leading scorer. Lillard was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021 and won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

 

Lillard has missed the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from his Achilles injury. On February 14, 2026, Lillard won the Three-Point Contest at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game despite not having played a game all season, tying Larry Bird and Craig Hodges for the most Three-Point Contest titles in NBA history with three.

 

Early Life 

High School Career

 

Lillard was born in Oakland, California. He began his high school career at Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo before transferring to St. Joseph Notre Dame High School in Alameda, the same school that produced Jason Kidd. However, a lack of playing time prompted Lillard to transfer again after his sophomore year.

 

Lillard played his final two years at Oakland High School under coach Orlando Watkins, where he was First Team All-League as a junior and senior. As a junior, Lillard averaged 19.4 points per game. As a senior, he averaged 22.4 points and 5.2 assists per game while leading the Oakland Wildcats to a 23-9 record.

 

Regarded only as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, Lillard was not heavily recruited out of high school. According to Lillard, Weber State was the first college basketball program to show any interest in him when head coach Randy Rahe showed up in person to watch Lillard play during his junior year.

 

College Career

 

As a freshman at Weber State, Lillard averaged 11.5 points per game and was named the Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year and first-team All-Big Sky. He helped lead the Wildcats to a 21-10 record and a Big Sky regular-season title.

 

In his sophomore year (2009-10), Lillard raised his scoring average to 19.9 points per game and led the Wildcats to the conference championship. He was named Big Sky Player of the Year and earned honorable mention All-American honors by the Associated Press.

 

In 2010-11, Lillard led the Big Sky in scoring with 19.7 points per game before suffering a foot injury ten games into the season that forced him to take a medical redshirt and sidelined him for the rest of the year.

 

As a redshirt junior in 2011-12, Lillard averaged 24.5 points per game and led the nation in scoring throughout most of the year before finishing second to Oakland University’s Reggie Hamilton. On December 3, 2011, against San Jose State, Lillard scored a college career-high 41 points, including a game-clinching three-point play to give Weber State a 91-89 double-overtime victory. He was named Big Sky MVP and earned third-team All-American honors, becoming the first player in Big Sky Conference history to be named to an All-American team.

 

Widely regarded as the top point guard prospect in the country, Lillard declared for the 2012 NBA Draft. He finished his college career as the No. 2 scorer in Weber State history (1,934 points) and the No. 5 scorer in Big Sky history. He completed his degree in professional sales from Weber State in May 2015.

NBA Career

Portland Trail Blazers (2012–2023)

 

Lillard was selected sixth overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. On October 31, 2012, in the season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers, Lillard recorded 23 points and 11 assists to join Oscar Robertson and Allen Iverson as the only players in NBA history with at least 20 points and 10 assists in their NBA debut. He was voted the 2012-13 NBA Rookie of the Year.

 

Lillard made his first All-Star team in 2014 and became one of the NBA’s premier clutch performers, earning the nickname “Dame Time” for his history of making big shots in crucial moments. On April 23, 2019, Lillard hit a 37-foot game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to eliminate the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of the first round, one of the most iconic shots in NBA playoff history.

 

On February 26, 2023, Lillard scored a career-high and Blazers franchise-high 71 points with 13 three-pointers, along with six rebounds and six assists in a 131-114 win against Houston, becoming the eighth player in NBA history to score 70 or more in a single game. He became the first player in NBA history to score more than 70 points in under 40 minutes and the only player on that elite list to score 70 over the age of 30.

 

Over 11 seasons in Portland, Lillard became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer and established himself as one of the greatest players in Trail Blazers history. He made eight All-Star teams with Portland and earned six All-NBA selections. As of the end of his first Portland tenure, he ranked fourth on the NBA’s all-time list of three-point field goals made with 2,451.

Milwaukee Bucks (2023–2025)

 

On September 27, 2023, Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a three-team trade that sent Jrue Holiday, DeAndre Ayton, Toumani Camara, and a 2029 first-round draft pick to the Blazers. The Bucks also gave Portland the rights to swap first-round draft picks in 2028 and 2030.

 

Lillard made his Bucks debut on October 26, 2023, against Philadelphia, scoring 39 points, a franchise record for a debut, and grabbing eight rebounds in a 118-117 victory. On December 13, he made his 2,451st career three-pointer, passing Kyle Korver for fifth on the NBA’s all-time list. On December 19, Lillard scored 40 points against San Antonio and surpassed 20,000 career points, becoming just the fourth player in league history after LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and James Harden to have career totals of at least 20,000 points, 5,000 assists, and 2,000 three-pointers.

 

In his first season with Milwaukee (2023-24), Lillard averaged 24.3 points, 7.0 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game. He was selected to his ninth All-Star Game and was named the 2024 All-Star Game MVP. On December 14, 2024, the Bucks won the inaugural NBA Cup, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 97-81 in the finals, with Lillard contributing 23 points and eight assists.

 

In his second season with Milwaukee (2024-25), Lillard suffered a deep vein thrombosis in his right calf that sidelined him for several weeks. On April 17, shortly before the 2025 playoffs, the Bucks announced Lillard had been cleared and would increase his on-court activity. Five days later, on April 22, Lillard made his return in Game 2 of the First Round against Indiana, scoring 14 points in a 123-115 loss.

 

On April 27, in Game 4 of the series, Lillard suffered a non-contact left calf injury in the first quarter while attempting to secure a long rebound. He was unable to put any weight on his left leg and had to be helped off the court by head coach Doc Rivers. Without him, Milwaukee lost 129-103 as Indiana took a 3-1 lead, eventually winning in five games. An MRI the following day revealed that Lillard had suffered a torn left Achilles tendon, ending his season and putting his availability for the 2025-26 season into question.

 

Portland Trail Blazers (2025–present)

 

On July 6, 2025, the Bucks announced they had waived Lillard, stretching the remaining $103 million left on his deal. With Lillard likely to miss the entire 2025-26 season and now 35 years old with no guarantee he would return to form, the Bucks made the difficult decision to create cap space for other moves. Milwaukee signed center Myles Turner to a four-year, $107 million deal shortly thereafter.

 

On July 19, 2025, the Trail Blazers signed Lillard to a three-year, $42 million deal, marking his emotional return to the franchise. Lillard has missed the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from his Achilles injury. On August 2, 2025, with Lillard unlikely to play during the season, he returned to his alma mater of Weber State, being introduced as the new general manager of the men’s basketball program.

 

On February 14, 2026, Lillard participated in the Three-Point Contest at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis despite not having played a game in the NBA all season. He won the contest, tying Larry Bird and Craig Hodges for the most Three-Point Contest titles in NBA history with three (2014, 2019, 2026). Lillard also won the Skills Challenge in 2013.

 

As of February 24, 2026, Lillard continues his rehabilitation with the Trail Blazers organization. The team has not provided a timeline for his return, and it remains uncertain whether he will play again during the 2025-26 season or if his return will come in 2026-27.

International Career

 

Lillard was a member of the 2020 U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Tokyo (held in 2021 due to COVID-19). He averaged 11.7 points per game during the tournament and hit several clutch three-pointers, including a key shot in the gold medal game against France.

 

Playing Style and Legacy

 

At 6-foot-2, Lillard is known for his exceptional range, particularly his ability to make shots from 30+ feet out, earning him the nickname “Logo Lillard.” His combination of deep shooting range, elite ball-handling, and clutch gene made him one of the most dangerous offensive players of his generation. Lillard’s ability to hit game-winning shots in crucial moments became a defining characteristic of his career.

 

Beyond basketball, Lillard is also a rapper under the stage name Dame D.O.L.L.A. (Different On Levels the Lord Allows). He has released several mixtapes and albums, with his music reflecting his Oakland roots and personal journey.

 

Lillard wears jersey number 0, which represents the letter “O” for Oakland (his hometown), Ogden (where he attended Weber State), and Oregon (where he played for the Trail Blazers). He is a Christian and has a scripture tattoo of Psalms 37:1-3 on his left arm.

 

References

 

External Links

* Damian Lillard on NBA.com

* Damian Lillard on Basketball-Reference.com